A Schoharie County woman who police say kept 99 cats in crates in her befouled home and stored another 67 dead felines in bags in her freezer was charged Monday with animal abuse. Irene VanDyke was charged with multiple counts of failure to provide proper sustenance and cruelty to animals.

Schoharie County Sheriff’s deputies and the Schenectady SPCA were called to VanDyke’s Route 146 home on Jan. 24 after neighbors, who had long suspected that VanDyke was hoarding cats, called to complain of the overpowering stench of urine and feces wafting from the home.

The surviving cats have been slowly nursed back to health, and county Sheriff Tony Desmond said Tuesday that almost all of those taken from VanDyke’s home are available for adoption at the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley in Howe’s Cave. Anyone who wants to adopt one of the cats can reach the shelter at 296-8390.

VanDyke was released and is due back in court in March. Her house was condemned shortly after her cats were taken away. At the time of her arrest, those who know VanDyke told the Times Union that they thought the unexpected death of her husband, Russell Jack VanDyke, in December 2010 accelerated the hoarding. Authorities said it’s still unclear why VanDyke kept the dead cats in her freezer.